Free tool
Split calculator
A prize, a pool, each person's shares. The same largest-remainder arithmetic that splits real pool winnings, with the withholding your state publishes. Nothing here changes the odds; it shows what a win would mean.
Treated as a jackpot's advertised amount (the annuity total). If it is a fixed prize, choose "A fixed prize" above.
Estimated amount after withholding, each person
$28,023,500.00
- Federal withholding is not the final tax: each person's own return settles it, and the bill can be higher or lower.
- Wisconsin tax is settled on the return too; only its withholding is taken off here.
- Lump sum: the cash value, paid at once.
After 24% federal withholding and 7.65% Wisconsin withholding, taking the lump sum. 10 people, 10 shares.
- Advertised jackpot (annuity total)
- $1,000,000,000.00
- Cash value (estimate from the usual ratio)
- $410,000,000.00
- Federal withholding (24%)
- $98,400,000.00
- Wisconsin withholding (7.65%)
- $31,365,000.00
- Pool after withholding
- $280,235,000.00
- One share (before withholding)
- $41,000,000.00
| People | Shares | Lump share | Federal | State | After withholding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1 | $41,000,000.00 | $9,840,000.00 | $3,136,500.00 | $28,023,500.00 |
Estimates from published withholding rates, reviewed on 2026-10-01. Not tax advice.
- Lump sum is an estimate: 41% of the advertised amount, the recent cash-value ratio. The lottery publishes the real cash value for each drawing.
- Wisconsin pays one claimant; the agreement names who claims and how the pool splits it. One person signs a group ticket and the Wisconsin Lottery pays that claimant; paying several winners on one ticket takes a court order.
- The lottery withholds on the whole prize, as one payment: federal 24% when the prize is over $5,000.00, even when one person's share is smaller. IRS Form 5754 then splits the prize and the withholding by share; each row shows that person's part.
- Federal withholding is 24% on prizes over $5,000.00; the top federal rate of 37% applies when you file, so more may be owed.
- Prizes of $2,000.00 or more are reported to the IRS on Form W-2G even when nothing is withheld.
- Wisconsin withholds 7.65% on prizes of $2,000.00 or more.
Thresholds used: Federal: 24% withheld on prizes over $5,000.00; reported to the IRS from $2,000.00. Wisconsin: 7.65% withheld on prizes of $2,000.00 or more.
Sources: irs.gov, wilottery.com, revenue.wi.gov.
Split calculator questions
How do you split lottery winnings in a pool?
By shares. Each person's part is their shares divided by all the shares in the pool, applied to the prize. The calculator rounds to the cent and gives any odd cents to the largest remainders, so the parts always add up to the prize exactly.
Is the split done before or after tax?
The calculator shows both: each share of the prize, then the federal and state withholding the lottery takes from a prize that size, then what is left. Withholding is not the final tax bill; each person settles that on their own return.
How do pool members each pay their own tax?
The person who claims files IRS Form 5754 at the lottery office with each member's name, taxpayer ID and share. Each member then gets their own tax form and pays tax only on their own part.
Lump sum or annuity for a pool?
Agree on it before the claim, since one ticket is claimed once; your state lottery says how the choice is made. The calculator shows both: the cash value now, or 30 growing payments.
How to start an office pool · The pool agreement
Plan it as a pool
Free. No invite needed. Every share, ticket and payment on a record every member can read.
